Overhead rail cleaner and oiler

ABSTRACT

An automatic cleaner for overhead conveyor rails comprising a motor-driven carriage riding on the rail. The machine has vertically disposed axially rotatable brushes for cleaning opposite sides of the rail and a suction device for collecting dirt removed by the brushes. The brushes are vertically adjustable to avoid interference with rail switches and with rail hanger brackets and their rivet heads. An oil spray system mounted on the machine behind the brushes coats the cleaned surfaces of the rail to inhibit corrosion.

States Patent [191 runel et al.

1 1 Jam 22, 1974 OVERHEAD RAIL CLEANER AND ()ILER [75] Inventors: Roger L. Brunel, Grove City; Robert D. Fannon; Ronald L. Legue, both of Columbus, all of Ohio [73] Assignee: Klenco Corporation, Massilon, Ohio 221 Filed: Sept. 13, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 288,870

[52] 11.8. C1. 118/4, 15/77, 15/21 E, 15/312 R, 118/72, 118/307 [51] lnt. Cl. B05c 5/00, EOlh 8/00 [58] Field of Search 118/305, 307, 72, 70, 4; 15/77, 21 E, 312 R; 198/229; 184/12 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS McMahon et a1. 118/307 3,625,181 12/1971 Weaver 118/305 X 3,641,618 2/1972 Rainey et al 15/77 X Primary Examiner-John P. McIntosh Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hamilton, Renner & Kenner [5 7] ABSTRACT An automatic cleaner for overhead conveyor rails comprising a motor-driven carriage riding on the rail. The machine has vertically disposed axially rotatable brushes for cleaning opposite sides of the rail and a suction device for collecting dirt removed by the brushes. The brushes are vertically adjustable to avoid interference with rail switches and with rail hanger brackets and their rivet heads. An oil spray system mounted on the machine behind the brushes coats the cleaned surfaces of the rail to inhibit corrosion.

11 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEBJAN 22 mm FIG. IA

SHEET 2 0F 6 OVERHEAD RAIL CLEANER AND OILER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In meat processing plants, animal carcasses and parts thereof are'carried along on conveyor rails which are supported from the ceiling by hanger brackets. It is very important that the rails be kept as clean and sanitary as possible at all times by periodic cleaning, and US. Pat. No. 3,641,618, which is the most pertinent prior art known to applicant, shows an automatic rail cleaner for this purpose.

The rail cleaner of US. Pat. No. 3,641,618 requires three brushes which are laterally adjustably mounted on flexible shafts to avoid interference with hanger brackets, rivets and other obstructions by momentarily moving away from the rail surfaces as a result of which the rail surfaces behind the braackets and adjacent to the obstructions, as well as the obstructions themselves,

are not cleaned. A fourth brush is required to clean behind the brackets. Moreover, the flexible shafts and the solenoids and linkages required for operating them are expensive and add substantial weight to the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved rail cleaner of the present invention comprises a motor-driven carriage which is supported on the conveyor rail by two spaced-apart wheels rolling on top of the rail. These wheels are independently pivoted for following around curves or switches to other rails, and their axes are independently adjustable for tracking alignment. A manually actuated clutch is provided for disconnecting the wheels from the motor drive. The vertical axially rotatable brushes engaging opposite sides of the rail are geared together and driven by a separate motor. Power-driven mechanism for raising and lowering the brushes is actuated by a bracket or other obstruction on the rail interrupting a light beam moving with the machine. A suction device on the machine removes dust and dirt dislodged by the brushes and a following oil spray device coats the cleaned surfaces. T

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved rail cleaning device which is lighter in weight, less expensive and faster in operation than prior rail cleaners.

Another and more specific object is to provide an improved rail cleaner which requires only two brushes to clean the rail surfaces.

A further object is to provide an improved rail cleaner having two'vertical brushes which are automatically raised and lowered to clear obstructions on the rail.

A still further object is to provide brushes designed and constructed to clean rail surfaces behind and adjacent to obstructions.

Another object is to provide an oil spray system on the rear of the improved rail cleaner for coating the rail surfaces immediately after cleaning to inhibit corrosion.

These and other objects are accomplished by the improvements comprising the present invention which is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and described in detail in the following specification. Various modifications and changes in details of construction are comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. I and 1A taken together are a side elevation with the lower part in section of a preferred embodiment of the machine, showing the brushes in raised position.

FIG. 2 is a plan view on line 2-2 of FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on line 33 of FIGS. I and 1A.

FIG. 3A is a partial view similar to FIG. 3 showing the brushes raised to an intermediate position.

FIG. 4 is a similar view showing the brushes in lowered position.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing the carriage supporting wheels traversing a curved portion of the rail.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The improved meachine is carried on a conveyor rail 10 by two flanged wheels 11 and 12. The rail 10 is a flat strip of steel suspended from the ceiling by spaced hanger brackets 13 which are fastened to the rail by bolts or rivets 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the brackets 13 are preferably rivetedto the bottom portion of the rail 10 and curve outwardly and upwardly therefrom.

.The wheels 11 and 12 are journaled in yokes l5 and 16, respectively, depending from a top horizontal bar 17 which comprises the top of a frame having a rear supporting plate 18. A horizontal plate 20 spaced below the bar 17 extends forwardly from the plate 18 (FIG. 3) for a purpose to be described.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the yokes l5 and 16 are journaled in the top bar 17 so that the wheels 11 and 12 are independently pivotable around vertical axes to accommodate switches or curves in the rail, in the manner indicated in FIG. 7. The yokes are fastened by studs 21 to annular bearing plates 22 journaled in eccentric rings 23 mounted in bar 17, and by rotating the eccentric rings 23 the alignment of the steering axes of the wheels may be adjusted.

As seen in FIG. 6, wheel 12 is splined on clutch shaft 24 which is serrated at its inner end for meshing with the serrations on the inner end of sprocket shaft 25 on which wheel 12 idles. Sprocket shaft 25 has a sprocket 26 on its outer end which is driven by a chain 27 meshing with a sprocket 28 driven by an electric motor 29 supported on an extension 30 of yoke 16. A clutch handle 32 is secured to the outer end of shaft 24 for moving it manually into and out of mesh with sprocket shaft 25. Screws 33 and 34 are provided to frictionally hold the clutch shaft selectively in engaged and disengaged positions.

Thus, in the position of FIG. 6, with the clutch engaged, the sprocket shaft 25 drives the wheel 12 and the machine supported by the wheels 11 and 12 along the rail 10, and when the clutch is disengaged the sprocket shaft idles and the machine is stationary.

- The axially rotatable wire brushes 36 and 37 have shafts 36' and 37' which are secured to upper vertical shafts 38 and 39, respectively. Shafts 38 and 39 are vertically slidable and rotatable in sleeve bearings in the top horizontal bar 17 of the frame and in the plate 20 thereof. The upper ends of shafts 38 and 39 are rotatably connected by screws 40 to a top plate 41, and the front edge of plate 41 is connected by vertical bars 42 to a horizontal bottom plate 43 extending rearwardly under the horizontal plate 20 of the frame. Thus, the top plate 41, bars 42 and bottom plates 43 form an upper slide frame which moves vertically with the shafts 38 and 39.

The brush shafts 36 and 37' at their top ends extend into the upper shafts 38 and 39 and are secured thereto by set screws 44. Between the plates 17 and 20 the shafts 38 and 39 are splined to gears 45 and 46, respectively, which gears mesh with a medial idler gear 47 (FIG. having its shaft 48 journaled in plates 17 and 20. The gears have a l to 1 ratio so that the shafts 38 and 39 rotate conjointly at the same speed and in the same direction.

The bottom end of brush shaft 37 extends into a driven shaft 49 and is secured thereto by a set screw 50.

Shaft 49 is journaled in a bearing sleeve in a horizontal plate 51 forming the top of a lower frame and supporting the base 52 of the upper frame. A supporting plate 53 is spaced below plate 51 by side plates 54, and the shaft 49 is journaled in a bearing sleeve in plate 53. Between the plates 51 and 53 is a driven sprocket 55 splined to the shaft to allow vertical movement of the shaft therein. The sprocket 55 is connected by a chain 56 to a drive sprocket 57 on the shaft of a drive motor 58 suspended from plate 53. Thus, the motor 58 rotates the brush shafts 49 and 37 which in turn rotate the brush shaft 36' through the gears 45, 46 and 47.

The mechanism for raising and lowering the shaft 49 to raise and lower both the brushes preferably comprises a cross bar 60 slidably mounted below plate 53 on vertical rods 61 mounted at their upper ends in the plate 53 and supported at their lower ends in brackets 62 depending from plate 53. The bottom end of shaft 49 is journaled in an anti-friction bearing 63 mounted on top of the cross bar 60. The cross bar 60 has a horizontal slot 64 therein and a roller 65 on the end of a crank arm 66 rides in the slot. The crank arm 66 is driven by a motor 67 suspended from plate 53 by brackets 68 and 69.

When the motor 67 is energized it rotates the crank 66 to raise or lower the cross bar 60 and the shaft 49. In the position of FIG. 4 the brushes 36 and 37 are in full surface contact with opposite sides of rail 10, and in FIG. 3 the brushes have been fully raised to avoid interference with the hanger 13 or other obstacle such as a rail switch. The length of the spline in shaft 49 is such as to permit raising and lowering the shaft through the full stroke of the crank 66.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the brushes are positioned in an intermediate position slightly lower than fully raised position when passing a hanger bracket 13 to enable cleaning the rail behind the bracket. As indicated in dotted lines the bottom end of brush 36 is hollow to enable it to squeeze between the bracket and rail 10.

In the lowered position of the brushes shown in FIG. 4, the brushes 36 and 37 can be removed by removing set screws 44 and 50, and then raising the upper slide frame together with the upper shafts 38 and 39 to lift them off of the upper ends of brush shafts 36' and 37'. After the brushes are removed the frame comprising top bar l7 and rear plate 18 can be tilted around hinge 70 away from base plate 51 to expedite maintenance and inspection.

As shown in FIGS. 1A, 3 and 4, the space within horizontal plates 51 and 53 and side plates 54 is an air chamber 71 connected by a front conduit 72 to the vacuum chamber 73 of a vacuum cleaner unit 74 having a motor 75 and filter element 76. An air inlet duct 77 is connected with chamber 71 and its upper end sucks dirt particles brushed from the front side of rail 10 by brush 36. An air inlet elbow 78 sucks dirt brushed from the rear side of the rail by brush 37 and delivers it through duct 79 to the vacuum chamber 73.

That part of the machine below horizontal plate 51 is enclosed by front and rear vertical shroud plates 81 and 82 and side plates 83 and 84, respectively, with a bottom plate 85. The vacuum cleaner unit 74 is supported at one edge of plate 5 l on an exterior flange 86 of side plate 83. The oil spray system preferably includes an oil reservoir 87 mounted on side plate 84 and supplying oil through pipe 88 to an air pump 89 operated by a motor 90 to discharge oil from the spray nozzles 91 onto opposite surfaces of the rail 10. As indicated by the direction arrow in FIG. I, the machine travels fromright to left, so that the oil sprays follow the brushes and the vacuum inlets below the brushes.

The vertical raising of the brushes 36 and 37 is initiated by interruption, by an obstacle on the rail, of the light beam projected from a light source 92 mounted on plate 51 and a photocell 93 mounted above the light source on the forward edge of bar 17. Thus, the light beam travels ahead of the brushes. The photocell is connected electrically to a logic module unit of known construction indicated at 94 supported within the housing by bracket plates 95 and 96. A suitable logic module i i imimluel ay Module, manufactured by Farmer Electric Products Co., Inc., of Natick, Mass. By interruption of the light beam, this sensing means actuates motor 67 to rotate crank 66 to raise the brushes to the intermediate position of FIG. 3A where the brushes are in position to clean the rail behind a hanger. If the obstacle is a rail switch a limit switch on the cleaner is actuated to cause the motor 67 to rotate crank 66 through and raise the brushes to the full upper position of FIG. 3. After the obstacle has passed the motor 67 returns the crank and brushes to the lowered position of FIG. 4. Absence of a rail in front of the cleaner causes another limit switch to close, disconnecting all circuits and stopping further travel of the cleaner.

It will be apparent that an improved automatic rail cleaner has been provided which travels along and is supported on the top of the rail, the opposite surfaces of which are continuously cleaned by vertically disposed axially rotating brushes on the cleaner, and when the brushes approach an obstruction such as a hanger bracket or a rail switch, the obstruction is sensed by a light beam on the forward part of the rail cleaner which automatically causes raising the brushes to clear the obstacle and immediately lowers the brushes when the obstacle is passed. The dirt removed by the brushes is collected by the suction cleaning device carried by the machine and the cleaned rail surfaces are coated by an oil spray device carried on the rear part of the machine to inhibit corrosion of the cleaned surfaces.

We calim:

I. An automatic cleaner for a conveyor rail comprising a frame, a supporting wheel journaled in said frame and rolling upon the top of the conveyor rail, power means on the frame for driving said wheel, vertically disposed axially rotatable brush shafts on opposite sides of the rail, brushes on said shafts contacting opposite surfaces of the rail, one on said brush shafts being mounted for vertical movement in said frame, means operatively connecting said brush shafts for conjoint rotation and vertical movement, power means for raising and lowering said one brush shaft, and sensing means on said frame actuated by passage of an obstacle on the rail for operating the power means for raising and lowering said one brush shaft to allow the brushes to pass the obstacle.

2. An automatic cleaner as in claim 1 in which one of said brushes has a hollow lower end to enable it to squeeze between the rail and a hanger bracket supporting the rail.

3. An automatic cleaner as in claim 1 in which there is an additional supporting wheel journaled in said frame and rolling upon the top of the rail and both wheels are independently pivoted for following around curves.

4. An automatic cleaner as in claim 3, in which said wheels are independently adjustable for tracking alignframe for coating the surfaces of the rail after they have been cleaned.

7. An automatic cleaner as in claim 1, in which an oil spray device is mounted on a following part of the frame for coating the surfaces of the rail after they have been cleaned.

8. An automatic cleaner as in claim 1, in which the upper end portions of the brush shafts are splined in gears journaled in the frame and operatively connect ing the shafts, and the upper ends of the brush shafts are connected for moving together vertically.

9. An automatic cleaner as in claim 8, in which the upper end portions of the brush shafts are carried in a slide frame which moves vertically with the shafts.

10. An automatic cleaner as in claim 8, in which the power means for raising and lowering said one brush shaft includes a vertically movable cross bar mounting th low r endi fa sthattairq ar n a lo t rein.

and a crank arm slidably engaged in said slot to raise and lower said cross bar.

11. An automatic cleaner as in claim 1, in which the power means for raising and lowering said one brush shaft includes a vertically movable cross bar mounting the lower end of said shaft and having a slot therein, and a crank arm slidably engaged in said slot to raise and lower said cross bar. 

1. An automatic cleaner for a conveyor rail comprising a frame, a supporting wheel journaled in said frame and rolling upon the top of the conveyor rail, power means on the frame for driving said wheel, vertically disposed axially rotatable brush shafts on opposite sides of the rail, brushes on said shafts contacting opposite surfaces of the rail, one on said brush shafts being mounted for vertical movement in said frame, means operatively connecting said brush shafts for conjoint rotation and vertical movement, power means for raising and lowering said one brush shaft, and sensing means on said frame actuated by passage of an obstacle on the rail for operating the power means for raising and lowering said one brush shaft to allow the brushes to pass the obstacle.
 2. An automatic cleaner as in claim 1 in which one of said brushes has a hollow lower end to enable it to squeeze between the rail and a hanger bracket supporting the rail.
 3. An automatic cleaner as in claim 1 in which there is an additional supporting wheel journaled in said frame and rolling upon the top of the rail and both wheels are independently pivoted for following around curves.
 4. An automatic cleaner as in claim 3, in which said wheels are independently adjustable for tracking alignment.
 5. An automatic cleaner as in claim 1, in which a suction cleaning device is mounted on the frame having inlets below both sides of the rail.
 6. An automatic cleaner as in claim 5, in which an oil spray device is mounted on a following part of the frame for coating the surfaces of the rail after they have been cleaned.
 7. An automatic cleaner as in claim 1, in which an oil spray device is mounted on a following part of The frame for coating the surfaces of the rail after they have been cleaned.
 8. An automatic cleaner as in claim 1, in which the upper end portions of the brush shafts are splined in gears journaled in the frame and operatively connecting the shafts, and the upper ends of the brush shafts are connected for moving together vertically.
 9. An automatic cleaner as in claim 8, in which the upper end portions of the brush shafts are carried in a slide frame which moves vertically with the shafts.
 10. An automatic cleaner as in claim 8, in which the power means for raising and lowering said one brush shaft includes a vertically movable cross bar mounting the lower end of said shaft and having a slot therein, and a crank arm slidably engaged in said slot to raise and lower said cross bar.
 11. An automatic cleaner as in claim 1, in which the power means for raising and lowering said one brush shaft includes a vertically movable cross bar mounting the lower end of said shaft and having a slot therein, and a crank arm slidably engaged in said slot to raise and lower said cross bar. 